Air-valve for radiators.



v Ii/messes 9% G. D. HOFFMAN.

AIR VALVE POR RADIATORS. APPLICATION FILED 1111111.31, 1911.

Patented Jan. 13, 1914 vnm Alh

GEORGE '.D. HOFFMAN, OF CHICAGO, LLINOIS, ASSGNO'R T() NGRWALL MANUEAC TURNG COMPANY, OF, CHGGO, ILLINOIS. l

AIR--VALVE 'FOR RADITORS.

. appuauon aies narn ai,

.being had to the accompanying drawings,

whichform a partv of this specification.

A common form of heating system em ploys an air line which communicates with each radiator in the system through a suit-v able automatic valve; the purpose of the'air line being to carry from the radiators to a discharge point the foul air and'such water as mayleak through the valves. The air in passing through the automatic valves, and

the steam which enters the valve` both contain more or less dirt and grit which collects upon the valve seats and interferes with the successful operation of the valve. When the valves become1 dirty it is necessary to cleanthem .in o-rder to bring them back to normal working conditions; but, as suoli valves have heretofore been constructed, it

has required the services of a skilled me-v chanic to open. the valves to clean and then to readjust them properly, because the advantages gained through cleaning by an unskilled person might be more than offset by the disadvantage following from improper adjustment. r

1t is one of theobjeets of my invention to produce an air valve of the type to which Ithave referred 'which may be'cleaned when necessary, without requiring the services of a ,skilled mechanic and without danger of -disarrangement of the adjustment of the rmy invention .and of its objects and advantages, reference may he had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

n Figure 1 is ,a .side elevation of a radiator Specification of Letters Patent.

` Patented dan.. 13, 191e.

ieri. serial no. 618,075.

having my improved valve device applied thereto; Fig. 2. is a vertical section on a vlarger scale through the valve device de tached from the radiator; and Fig. Sis a side elevation of a portion of the valve, the coupling being unscrewed and the plug carrying the valve seat detached.

Referring to the drawing: 1 represents a radiator7 2 an air valve as a whole, and 3 an air pipe leading from the valve.

' The vvalve comprises a casing L having a suitable nipple 5 for attachment to a radiator. ln the cover of the casing is a screw plug 6 Whichmay be adjusted in the vertical direct-ion. At the bottom of the casing is a downwardlv projecting sleeve 7 which lies directly below the screw plug and forms the outlet from the casing.

8 is an expansible member flexibly sus pended from the lower end of the plug, preferably by means of a ball and socket joint- 9. ln the arrangement shown the member 8 comprises a cup-shaped shell with its mouth directed downwardand a thin diaphragm 10 extending across the mouth of the shell and having its edges secured to the shell so as to seal the same hermetically. In the course of manufacture, a few drops of alcohol are placed within theshell and sufficient heat is applied to vaporize the alcohol and drive out the air through a small lopening left for that purpose. The openingis then closed while the shell remains hot and, when the shell coolsLa -partial vacuum is produced therein and the diaphragm is flexed inwardlv.

Art the center of the diaphragm is secured an elongated valve 11 which projects down into the sleeve 7. A pipe 12, with its upper end capped, lits within the lower end of the sleeve, and is provided with a valve seat 18 at the upper end of a port 14 extending through the cap. The upper end of the pipe 1Q preferably lies considerably above the 'valve 'seat and the cap is countersunk as indicated at 15 in order to provide-a guide for the valve. The depending part of the pipe is internally screw-threaded, as at 16, for the purpose of receiving the screwthreaded end of the pipe; The pipe 1Q is provided with an annular flange 17 which abuts against the end of the member 7 and aids in making a tight joint between this member and the pipe. I prefer to make the lower end of member T conic` in 'shape Vne and to countersinlr the upper surface of the flange 17 correspondingly. The pipe 12 is held in place by means of a coupling 18 which is screw-threaded upon the sleeve 7 and has an internal annular flange 19 which engages With the underside of the fiange 17.

After the parts have been assembled as' pipe 12 drops outY of the valve. The pipe 12v is then screwed upon the upper end of the air pipe, as indicated in Fig. 1, the nipple is screwed into the radiator, and the coupling is then screwed upon the sleeve 7, drawing the end of the pipe 12 into the sleeve, and securing the valve device and the air pipe firmly together.

ln operation, air is drawn from the radiator through the air lineuntil steam enters the valve device, whereupon the expansible member forces the valve against its seat and closes the outlet so that the steam cannot escape from the radiator. vWhen grit or dirt collects upon the valve seat and prevents the valve from closing tightly, it is only necessary to unscreiv the coupling 18 and to bend the pipe 3 from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 to the position shown in dotted lines, disengaging the pipe 12 from the valve and exposing it so that the grit and dirt can readily be removed. -After the valve seat has been cleaned the pipe is restored to the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 1, bringing the upper end of the pipe 12 into' the sleeve 7, and the coupling is slipped up and screwed upon the sleeve until the iiange 17 is seated firmly againstthe lower end of the sleeve. Consequently the cleaning operation requires no change in the adjustment of the parts except the simple lifting out of the pipe 12 Which, when g noeaess put in place again, can only assume its proper normal position, being centered by the sleeve and having' its inward niov nent limited and determined by the engagement of the iange With the end or" the sleeve. it is impossible for the valve proper to become disarranged because it hangs free and, as soon as the pipe is inserted in the sleeve the valve enters the concave guiding surface in the upper end thereof and is directed toward its seat even though the casing should be in such a position that the valve does not hang trulyvertical.

1t will thus be seen 'that l have provided a simple and novel valve device in which the valve seat may be kept clean by anyone having enough skill to unseren7 a simple coupling Without possibility of leaving the valve poorly adjusted after cleaning has been eiiected.

Wlhile I have illustrated and describen only a single preferred form of niy invention, I do not desire to be limited to the particular structural details 'thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which fall within the terms employed in the definitions of my invention constituting the appended ciaim.

l claim:

in combination, an airv valve device coniprising -a casing havingl a hollow huh or sleeve projecting downwardly from the bottom thereof, an espansible menber recruited in said casing, a disc-harde having a. part projecting into and f ng in said hollowhub and a flange engaging with 'the end of the hub, means 'for clamping said :dan against the hub, the part of the pipe ly" Within the hub having a porttherethrougn, and a valve on said expansihle member extending into proximity to said port to con trol the same.

in testimony whereof, i sign this specification in the presenceof'tivo Witnesses.

GEGRGE HOFFE-...li

WM. F. Fun'unnnnnicie. 

